Sunita Williams' homecoming: NASA to announce final decision today on Boeing Starliner return

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded in space for over two months (Image: File/NASA).

Imagine the anticipation of being stuck in space, waiting for a resolution. This is the situation faced by NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) far longer than planned due to issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

NASA has announced that it will reveal its decision on Saturday, August 24, regarding whether the astronauts will return to Earth aboard the troubled Starliner or if they will be transferred to a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. This crucial decision will follow a detailed agency review, with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson participating in the discussions.

The Starliner, which launched its first crewed mission in June as a critical test for future flights, has faced significant challenges. What was intended to be an eight-day mission has extended for months due to leaks and thruster malfunctions. Boeing has been working to address these issues, presenting new test data to reassure NASA about the spacecraft's safety.

NASA is carefully weighing Boeing's assurances against its own cautious approach to risk, given the Starliner’s history of technical problems. Since 2019, the Starliner programme has experienced several setbacks.

As a precaution, NASA has prepared a backup plan involving SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which could accommodate Williams and Wilmore if needed. However, this alternative would delay their return until February 2025 and would leave the Starliner to return uncrewed.

Should NASA determine that the Starliner is fit for the astronauts, the spacecraft could bring them back within the next month, potentially freeing up an ISS docking port for the SpaceX mission.

This decision is pivotal for Boeing, which has already incurred $1.6 billion in losses on the Starliner programme. As Boeing strives to match the success of SpaceX’s more seasoned Crew Dragon, the outcome of NASA's decision will be closely watched by the space community.